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Expert: Feeding wild boars causes more harm than good

DANGEROUS: This photo of a woman in the wild boars' clearing was posted on Facebook. Some praised her, but deputy chief executive of animal group Acres said that feeding wild boars creates problems in the long run.PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS HELEN

It looks like a scene in the Singapore Zoo because the drain and the fence forms a barrier between the visitors and the wild boars.

But unlike the zoo, the woman who enters the clearing to feed the animals and clean up the rubbish appears to be untrained in dealing with wild animals.

A video and photos of her feeding the animals were posted on a Facebook page for cycling enthusiasts on Sunday.

PRAISED

Several people praised the woman's actions. One person called it a "lovely and heart-warming sight".

Ms Boopal wanted to set these people straight. "People who feed them want to feel good about helping them, but their lack of awareness only creates more problems in the long term," she said.

Ms Boopal recommends a strong outreach to raise awareness about the consequences of feeding wild boars and a nationwide ban on feeding wild animals.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) also advised the public not to feed the wild boars as this alters their behaviour and may cause them to be reliant on humans for food.

On June 1, the AVA said it had received 27 complaints about wild boars so far this year.

The frequent visits by families are also a growing concern.

"Bringing young children to feed the wild boars is not a good educational message," added Ms Boopal.

When The New Paper revisited the location yesterday, it was evident the visitors were not environmentally friendly.

The area next to the clearing had empty plastic bags and bread tags scattered on the ground and in the drain. Plastic bags, half-eaten apples and whole oranges could be seen strewn around in the clearing.

A cleaner, who wanted to be known only as Mr Lance, 39, said the litter from visitors is a growing problem.

The AVA said "control operations" are ongoing in the Punggol area in response to the feedback of wild boar sightings from the public.

In recent years, wild boars, which are foragers, have been culled when herds grow to a point where they start destroying the natural habitat.